Re: The get-orig-source target as stated in Policy 4.9

[Andres Mejia <mcitadel@gmail.com>]

On Tuesday 19 February 2008 12:21:09 am Alexander Schmehl wrote:
> Hi!
>
> * Andres Mejia <mcitadel@gmail.com> [080218 17:54]:
> > I've been told that the policy for the get-orig-source target states that
> > it "...fetches the most recent version of the original source
> > package...". However, I've seen others using the get-orig-source target
> > to regenerate the orig tarball for their packages at a particular
> > version. I've been doing this as well. Some packages doing this are
> > warsow, ogre, fretsonfire, bulletml, and warzone2100.
>
> And I've people jumping a red light.  That doesn't mean that it's legal
> ;)
>
> > So my question is, when Policy states "the most recent version", is it
> > "the most recent version _in Debian_" or "the most recent version
> > _upstream_"?
>
> Well... beside that getting the most recent version in Debian would be
> quite boring (just fetch it from a mirror and compare a checksum), I
> don't know how policy section 4.9 could be read to mean something else
> than the most recent upstream version:
>
> =====
> 4.9 Main building script: debian/rules
> [..]
>
> get-orig-source (optional)
>
>     This target fetches the most recent version of the original source
>     package from a canonical archive site (via FTP or WWW, for example),
>     does any necessary rearrangement to turn it into the original source
>     tar file format described below, and leaves it in the current
>     directory.
>
> [..]
> =====
>
> Nowhere in this paragraph is Debian or it's archive mentioned; and while
> it mentiones the term "source package" it specifically mentions the
> "original source package", and the original is made by upstream, isn't
> it?

Alright, let's remember that Debian Policy 4 is talking about "Source 
Packages". If you start reading from the beginning, it becomes clear 
that "source package" signifies the source package used in Debian. This may 
lead to the confusion with the get-orig-source target.

Furthermore, if we want to get literal about the get-orig-source policy and 
look at the term "...the most recent version...", then we must start 
factoring in development versions of packages when we consider writing the 
get-orig-source target.

What I would like to know is, what was the original purpose for the 
get-orig-source target. Maybe that would clear up what the get-orig-source 
target is supposed to do.

-- 
Regards,
Andres